Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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St. John. The Witness Of The Beloved Disciple

Bible Reading: : St. John 21: 20-25

Key Verse:  24

 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down.  We know that his testimony is true. (St. John 21: 24)

DEVOTION

St. John, the writer of ‘The Gospel According to St. John’, is considered to be the disciple whom Jesus loved most.  John is witness to many incidents connected with Jesus, their master.  
John was Jesus’ beloved disciple.  At the Last Supper, John, the beloved disciple, is seen asking Jesus about the person who will betray Jesus.  At the cross, when Jesus was about to die, Jesus tells his mother, “Woman, here is your son”, and to John he says, “Here is your mother.”  John was the first one to reach the tomb when Mary Magdalene reported the matter to the disciples.  This beloved disciple was one among the seven fishermen who caught 153 fish at the suggestion of the resurrected Lord.
John’s witnessing is strong and powerful.  He is blindly devoted to Jesus Christ, his master.  Jesus’ love to John is unique.  This we see at the cross, entrusting his mother to the care of John.  John wanted to present Jesus as the son of God.  In 
St. John, Chapter one, he explains this truth directly and sharply. The witness of St. John is completely true.  The other disciples fully acknowledge this.  St. John’s account of Jesus is authentic.  Why did Jesus love him so much?  John served Christ with all his might.  He was purely dependable.  He had all the qualities of a true servant of Christ.  John’s witnessing has no falsehood in it.  
Jesus wants Peter to follow him steadfastly.  He tells Peter not to bother about John.  “Obey what I tell you,” Jesus says to Peter.  John’s witnessing has supreme importance.  St. John lived long.  His mission was to write about Jesus and his eternal Kingdom, which he did.  Generation after generation grasps from those words and benefits from them.  
As followers of Christ, our duty is to honor Jesus and obey his commands and be true and loyal to Jesus as John did.  We have to practice true witnessing.  We have to be honest with the Lord.  The world is full of attractions.  Can we remain unadulterated in the midst of all those things?  Can we fight the war against evil, by wearing the robe of salvation?  Then our witnessing will be pleasing to God and we will be called His children, making us heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven.  
 

PRAYER

 O Lord Jesus, how fortunate your disciples happened to be spending time with you daily!  You gave them authority to spread the Good News.  Your beloved disciple, St. John, truly witnessed everything in a grand manner.  Make us also your beloved servants, so that we may strive to fulfill your commands as John, your dearest disciple, did. Amen.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Let’s be Christ warriors  . Let’s be true witnesses  . Let’s conquer the world,
        For Christ, the Savior, our Lord..


Prof. Elias Abraham, 
Baltimore Mar Thoma Church, Maryland

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